Panic exit door lock having key actuation



Aug. 8, 1967 T. M. BEJARANO 3,334,500

PANIC EXIT DOOR LOCK HAVING KEY ACTUATION Filed Febr, 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 All@ 8, 1957 T. M. BEJARANO PANIC EXIT DOOR LOCK HAVING KEY ACTUATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1965 INVENTOR. 7//W5 M 55,3434/1/0 dwf @MN Aug- 8, 1967 T. M. BEJARANO 3,334,500

PANIC EXIT DOOR LOCK HAVING KEY ACTUATION Filed F'eb. 25, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug 8, l967 T. M. BEJARANO .1334500 FANIC EXIT DOOR LOCK HAVING KEY ACTUATION Filed Feb. 25, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 AW l INVENTOR.

THU/MA? M fw/i/ United States Patent O 3,334,500 PANIC EXIT DOR LUCK HAVING KEY ACTUATIN Thomas M. Bejarano, lico Rivera, Calif., assignor to Jackson Exit Device Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a

corporation of California Filed Feb. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 435,248 6 Claims. (Cl. 7tl--92) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to panic exit devices having vertically operating bolts at the top and bottom of the door, and in particular is directed to such a device wherein the bolts may be retracted solely by means of a key operated lock which also serves to lock the bolts in the retracted position.

There are numerous types and styles of mechanisms used for operating the popular commercial and industrial door latch where the bolts reciprocate vertically and extend from the top and bottom of the door. Most of these mechanisms include or are adapted to include a panic bar release arrangement on the inside of the door for rapid and fool proof actuation of the bolts by merely depressing the panic bar to open the door. Many such mechanisms include an often desirable feature of permitting manipulation of a device to latch the bolts in a retracted position during business hours or the like whereby the door is free to swing open without operating the panic bar or any other release mechanism. This is known in the industry as a dogging feature and is usually accomplished by flipping a lever or threading a screw into a position to lock the operating mechanism in the depressed position of the panic bar or other release mechanism. Often it is particularly desirable that this dogged condition of the door not be inadvertently or maliciously released and, therefore, a special tool or unique knowledge might be required to set and release the dogging mechanism. For example, a recessed screw has been used as the actuating means for the dogging mechanism whereby a screwdriver and considerable eort are needed for actuation but this has the inherent objectionable feature of requiring a substantial amount of the authorized operators time to actuate the dogging mechanism.

Another feature that is often required with this type of bolt mechanism is the provision of a keyed exterior lock to permit opening of the door from the outside. Conventionally, these mechanisms are provided with an exterior lever or knob which is released by operation of the keyed lock and then may be manipulated to retract the bolts for opening the door. Alternatively, the keyed lock may operate a separate bolt which must be released before the door may be opened by operation of the knob or lever.

Still another desirable feature in many installations of this type of bolt mechanism is to minimize the size of both the door stile containing the vertical bolts and the mechanism for operating the bolts. This is particularly desirable with glass doors which derive their asthetic quality from their uncluttered look.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention t0 provide a novel form of panic exit device having a vertically operating bolt mechanism wherein the bolts may be retracted solely by an exterior keyed lock and dogged in the retracted position by such keyedr lock, thereby permitting these manipulations solely by the possessor of the key.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel form of panic exit device which is extremely compact and requires only a very narrow door stile for accommodating the vertically operating bolts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel form of vertical bolt operating mechanism capable of actuation by an exterior keyed lock and wherein the bolts may be latched in their retracted position by -appropriate manipulation of such keyed lock in conjunction with an interiorly facing operating means. A still further object is to provide such an arrangement wherein such latched or dogged condition of the vertical bolts may be released only by the further appropriate manipulation of the keyed lock.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a panic exit device mechanism which is particularly adapted for use with a glass door and adds a minimum of nontransparent area to the door. A more detailed object is to provide such an arrangement wherein the mechanism is suiiciently compact to occupy a conventional mail drop cut out along the edge of the glass door. A still further object is to provide a novel form of extremely compact bolt latch for retaining the bolts in their retracted position while freely swinging and releasing the bolts into locked position `upon door closing unless the bolts are latched in the dogged condition.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation view of the door stile portion of the device of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the operating mechanism taken substantially on the line 2 2 shown in FIGURE 1 in a direction from the exterior side of the door.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the operating mechanism taken substantially on the line 3-3 shown in FIGUR-E l in a direction from the interior side of the door.

FIGURE 4 is a composite schematic view of three different portions of the operating mechanism of the device in their respective positions with the bolts retracted by use of the keyed lock. The right hand porti-on of the ligure is a view from the exterior side of the door while the other two portions of the figure are views from the interior side of the door.

FIGURE 5 is a composite schematic view of separate components of the operating mechanism Iof this device in a further moved position from that shown in FIGURE 4. The right and left hand portions of the gure oriented as views from the exterior and interior sides, respectively, of the door.

FIGURE 6 is a composite schematic view similar to FIGURE and illustrating a further moved position in the sequence whereby the operating mechanism and bolts are dogged to the open condition.

FIGURE 7 is a composite schematic view similar to FIGURES 5 and 6 and illustrates the appropriate movement of t-he components to release the dogged condition of the device.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional elevation view of the operating mechanism taken substantially on the line 8-8 shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the actuating and clogging mechanism that is operated by the keyed lock.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the compact mechanism for temporarily latching the bolts in their retracted position while the door is opening and closing.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the latching mechanism of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE l2 is a sectional elevation view similar to FIGURE 8 and illustrating a modified embodiment of the device of this invention using a panic release bar.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 8, the apparatus of this invention is shown as installed on a conventional all-glass door 10 having a rectangular cut out portion 11 along the swinging edge 12 of the door which is normally provided as a mail drop. The vertically operating bolts 13 and 14 at the top and bottom, respectively, of the door are adapted to extend into openings 15 and 16, respectively, at the top and bott-om of t-he doorway for latching the door in the closed position. The bolts 13 and 1-4 are mounted on the ends of connecting rods 17 and 18, respectively, which are positioned within a hollow door stile 19. Door stile 19 is mounted on the swin-ging edge 12 of the door and is of the minimum lateral width necessary for accommodating the bolts 13 and 14 and connected components thereby minimizing the non-transparent surface area of the complete door to retain the asthetic features of glass door 10. A clevis 20 is pinned to connecting rod 17. A second clevis 21 is attached to connecting rod 18 by means of a slot 22 and pin 23 to form a collapsible connection. By this latter arrangement if the floor opening 16 is plugged by foreign material preventing normal downward extension of -bolt 14, the clevis 21 is still free to move downwardly through its normal motions unimpared by the fouled condition of opening 16. A spring 24 may be provided for urging the connecting rod 18 downwardly with respect to clevis 21 to resiliently retain the normal relative positions between the connecting rod and clevis.

Means are provided for causing the vertical reciprocation of bolts 13 and 14 and as shown in the drawings, these means may include an operating mechanism, generally designated 25. Operating mechnism 25 is positioned within the cut out portion 11 of the glass door 10 and is supported therein by a pair of cover plates 26 and 27 on the exterior and interior sides, respectively, ofthe door. A plurality of bolts 28 connect the cover plates 26 and 27 and a plurality of screws 29 connect flanges 30 of cover plate 26 to the hollow stile 19. The case 31 of operating mechanism 25 is mounted on cover plate 26 by bolts 32.

Operating mechanism 25 includes a pair of slide bars 33 and 34 appropriately mounted in case 31 for sliding vertical reciprocation. The bolt 35 extends through a slot 36 in door stile 19 and connects the upper end of slide bar 33 to clevis 2t) for causing vertical reciprocation of the assembled ybolt 13, connecting rod 17 and clevis 20 in response to vertical reciprocation of'slide bar 33. Similarly, a bolt 37 connects the lower end of slide bar 34 to clevis 21 for causing vertical reciprocation of bolt 14. The slide bars 33 and 34 are each provided with a protruding pin 38 on the portion positioned within case 31. An operating link 39 is pivotally mounted between slide bars 33 and 34 for pivotal movement on a generally horizontal axis. Link 39 is provided with a pair of slots 40 on either end for engaging the pins 38 on the slide bars. By this arrangement, pivoting of link 39 causes vertical reciprocation of the slide bars 33 and 34 in opposite directions whereby the bolts 13 and 14 are simultaneously extended or retracted. The relative positions of slide bars 33 and 34 and link 39 are shown for the extended position of the bolts 13 and 14 in FIGURE 3 and for the retracted position of bolts 13 and 14 in the left hand portion of FIG- URE 4. A compression spring 41 extends Ibetween case 31 and slide bar 33 to continually urge the operating mechanism 25 toward the extended position of bolts 13 and 14.

A relatively conventional thumb turn mechnism, generally designated 45, is mounted on the interior cover plate 27 adjacent the location of operating link 39. The handle 46 of t-humb turn mechanism 45 serves to rotate the cam lever 47 positioned on theinner end of the mechanism. Cam lever 47 rits with a ca-m 48 for rotating the cam. Cam 48 has an upstanding ridge portion 49 which is continuous around the major portion of the periphery of the cam but terminates in a pair of spaced abutments 56 and 51. The cam lever 47 has a portion 52 loosely positioned between abutments 50 and 51, as shown in FIG- URES 4 through 7, for causing rotation of cam 48 upon turning of thumb handle 46. Cam 48 is provided with a square shank 53 which lits into a square socket in operating link 39. Thus the bolts 13 and 14 may be retracted or extended by appropriately manipulting the thumb handle 46 to pivot the operating link 39 through cam 48 and cam lever 47.

Means are provided Afor manipulating the operating mechanism 25 from the exterior of the door and, as shown in the drawings, these means may include a conventional tumbler lock 55 adapted to be selectively actuated by a key 56. Lock 55 is mounted on the exterior cover plate 26 by any convenient means such as screws 57. The lock 55 is provided with a lever 58 on the inner end which may be rotated only by means of turning the key 56. An actuating cam 59 is provided with a square socket 60 for mating with the square shank 61 on the exterior side of the operating link 39. Referring particularly to FIGURE 9 the actuating cam 59 is provided with an axially protruding lug 62 at one portion of its periphery and a radial notch 63 with a shoulder 64 at another portion of its periphery. The lock 55 is positioned immediately adjacent actuating cam 59 whereby the lever 58 is adapted to engage lug 62 for causing rotation of the actuating cam 59. Thus it may be seen that counter-clockwise rotation of the key 56 will cause like rotation of cam 59 and link 39 to retract bolts 13 and 14 for opening the door.

Means are provided for selectively latching or dogging the operating mechanism 25 and bolts 13 and 14 in the retracted condition and, as shown in the drawings, these means may include a pawl 65 adjacent the actuating cam 59. Pawl 65 has a pair of spaced fingers 67 and 68. The back portion of finger 68 is cut away at 69v to permit finger 68 to overlap actuating cam 59 while still being engageable by the lock lever 58. Finger 67 is of the full thickness of cam 59 including lug portion 62 for being engaged by either the cam 59 or the lock lever 58. An over-center type leaf spring 70 fits on the upper end of pawl 65 for engaging a pin 71 to resiliently urge and retain the pawl 65 in either the left or right positions thereof.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 4 through 7 the sequence of positions of the heretofore described components are shown for accomplishing the clogging and releasing of the operating mechanism 25 and bolts 13 and 14. In FIGURE 4, the lever 58 has been rotated counterclockwise by the key 56 to lug 62 and rotate the actuating cam 59 thereby rotating link 39 and retracting the slide bars 33 and 34 and the bolts 13 and 14. This permits opening of the door solely by means of mainpulating the key 56. With the door open the thumb turn handle 46 may be rotated in the clockwise direction whereby lever 52 engages abutment 50. This may cause a small additional amount of rotation of the mechanism to achieve the relative positions shown in FIGURE 5 whereby the notch 63 of actuating cam 59 is now fully exposed to linger 67 of pawl 65. While holding thumb turn handle 46 in this position, the key 56 is rotated in the clockwise direction to cause lever 58 to engage linger 68 of pawl 65 thereby pivoting pawl 65 in the counterclockwise direction and causing iinger 67 to become posip tioned in notch 63. The key 56 and handle 46 are released thereby causing the iinger 67 of pawl 65 to engage the shoulder 64 of actuating cam 59. This produces the dogged or latched condition wherein the bolts 13 and 14 are retained and such condition cannot be modified by manipulating the thumb turn handle 46 or any other exposed elements of the apparatus. Releasing is accomplished by reinserting the key 56 and rotating the key in the counter-clockwise direction to cause lever 58 to engage iinger 67 of pawl 65 to push the finger 67 out of notch 63 thereby releasing the mechanism as shown in FIGURE 7.

In order to permit swinging `and closing of doors employing vertically reciprocating bolts of this type, the bolts must be retained `in their retracted condition until the door is closed where-upon the bolts automatically extend to engage the threshold and -header openings. Conventionally, this is accomplished by some tt-rip lever mechanism which is cocked by opening the door and is tripped by the last closing movement of the door. Usually these mechanisms are rather bulky and it was found that the normal constructions are not adaptable to the extremely narrow door stile 19 employed in the device of this invention. To that end the apparatus of this invention includes the novel latching mechanism, generally designa-ted 75, associated with the upper bolt 13 as shown in FIGURES l, and l1. Mechanism 75 includes la block 76 mounted in the upper end of hollow door stile 19. Block 76 is provided wit-h a shaped opening 77 serving as a guide -for the reciprocating bolt 13. A pair of parallel Islots 78 are provided on either side of block 76 and extend in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the door. A slide plate 79 lits over the upper end of block 76 with portions engaging slots 78 for permitting sliding movement of the plate 79. Plate 79 is provided with an abutment ange 30 for engaging the doorway 81 upon closing of the door. A spring 82 is positioned within block 76 for urging the slide plate 79 to the right as viewed in `FIGURE 11. Slide plate 79 is provided with an laperture 83 for accommodating the bolt 13. The bolt 13 has a notched portion 84 at its upper end which is engaged by the plate 79 when the bolt 13 is retracted to thereby retain the bolt in the retracted position throughout opening and closing movement of the door. Closing of the door urges the slide plate 79 out of engagement with the notched portion 84 to thereby allow the bolt 1-3 `to extend upwardly unless such bolt is dogged to the retracted condition in the previously described manner. It may be seen that this mechanism 75 is of a minimum width only slightly wider than the bolt 13.

Referring now more particularly .to FIGURE 12, a modified form of device is illustrated wherein a panic bar 100 is employed rather than the thumb turn mechanism 45. Panic bar 100 is pivotally mounted on a housing 101 on the interior side of the door. Pivoting actuation of the panic bar 100 causes upward sliding movement of `rack 102 which is resisted by spring 103. A pin 104 connects -rack 102 to an aperture 105 in sli-de bar 34 of the operating mechanism 215. The aforedescribed operating mechanism 25 may be adapted for use in both embodiments although this aperture 105 is not used in the previously described embodiment. A slot 106 is provided in a clase 31 for `accommodating the movement of pin 104. The lock 55 Iand related elements are the same as previously described for opening the door and latching the bolts in the dogged condition. FIGURE 12 also illustrates a modified form of hollow door s-tile 119 which is of a suicient size to contain the operating mechanism 25 and permit direct connection of the slide bars 33 and 34 -to the clevises 120 and 121 rather than the aforedescribed oset connection. The embodiment of FIGURE 12 is `also provided with an auxiliary clogging mechanism comprising a pivotab-le stud 106 having a relieved shank portion 107 adapted to engage the bottom end 108 of the rack 102 when the rack is in the raised position by rotating the stud 106 one-half turn.

Having fully described my invention it is .to be understood that I `do not wish to be Ilimited to the details of the embodiments herein set forth or to the details illustrated in the drawings, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a panic exit door lock with vertically operating top and bottom bolts, the combination of; a pivotally mounted operating link connected to said bolts for causing opposite reciprocating movement thereof to extend and retract sai-d bol-ts, an `actuating cam mounted for pivotal movement with said Ilink for causing actuation of said operating link, an exterior lock having a pivoting operating lever for selectively engaging said cam in a lost motion relationship to selectively rotate said actuating cam for pivoting the link to retract said bolts for opening t-he door, and a pawl means pivotally mounted adjacent said cam and lever and selectively operable by said lever with said bolts retracted for pivoting to a position of latching engagement with said actuating cam to prevent pivoting of said cam and link and retaining said bolts in the retracted position; said link, cam and lever having substantially `aligned pivotal axes.

2. The combination of claim 1 having a latch means operably connected to said bolts for engaging and releasably retaining said bolts in the retracted position, said latching means being comprised of a single slid-able member for engaging the top bolt and means biasing said member to said position for retaining said bolts retract with said member having a portion for engaging the doorway in the closed position to slide the member out of engagement with said top bolt.

3. In a panic exit door lock with vertically operating top and bottom bolts positioned in a hollow stile on the door edge, the combination of; a housing `adapted to be mounted in an open `portion of .the door immedi-ately adjacent the said hollow stile, a pair of slide bars mounted in said housing for vertically reciprocating movement, means connecting each slide bar to a separate bolt for causing like reciprocating movement to extend and retract said bolts, an operating link pivotally mounted in said housing and having means for engaging sai-d pair of slide bars and causing opposite reciprocation of each slide bar `upon pivoting of said link, `a pivotal actuating cam connected to said link for causing pivoting of said link, said cam having an axially extending lug and a peripheral notch, an exterior Ilock having an operating lever mounted in said housing adjacent said cam for er1- gaging the said lug for pivotally operating said actuating cam to retract said bolts for opening the door, an interior operating means selectively manipulatable for rotating said link Iand releasably retaining said bolts retracted, and Ia pivotal pawl means mounted in superimposed relation to said actuating cam and lever with a pair of arms engageable by said lever for pivoting said pawl, one of said pawl -arms engagable with said cam notch upon pivoting of said pawl by said lever with said bolts retracted for preventing pivoting of said cam and link and thereby latching said bolts in the retracted position.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which rotation of said operating lever in one direction causes said retrac- 7 tion of the bolts and rotation in the other direction causes said latching operation of said pawl means.

5. The combination of claim 3 in which said interior operating means includes means engaging said operating link for causing pivoting of said link to operate said bolts.

6. The combination of claim 3 in which said pawl means is pivolted by said lever engaging one arm to pivot the pawl in one direction to the position for the other arm tio engage said notch in the actuating cam and in the other direction by engaging such other arm for releasing the latched condition of said bolts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,213,105 1/1917 Hurd.

1,346,670 7/1920 Page 70-92 2,004,811 6/1935 Hurd 70-92 2,824,440 2/1958 Jewett et a'l. 70-92 2,910,857 111/1959 yMuessel 70-92 3,097,007 7/1963 Eichacker et al. 70`92 X 3,214,947 11/1965 Wikkerink 70-92 BOBBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner'. 

1. IN A PANIC EXIT DOOR LOCK WITH VERTICALLY OPERATING TOP AND BOTTOM BOLTS, THE COMBINATION OF; A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED OPERATING LINK CONNECTED TO SAID BOLTS FOR CAUSING OPPOSITE RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT THEREOF TO EXTEND AND RETRACT SAID BOLTS, AN ACTUATING CAM MOUNTED FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT WITH SAID LINK FOR CAUSING ACTUATION OF SAID OPERATING LINK, AN EXTERIOR LOCK HAVING A PIVOTING OPERATING LEVER FOR SELECTIVELY ENGAGING SAID CAM IN A LOST MOTION RELATIONSHIP TO SELECTIVELY ROTATE SAID ACTUATING CAM FOR PIVOTING THE LINK TO RETRACT SAID BOLTS FOR OPENING THE DOOR, AND A PAWL MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID CAM AND LEVER AND SELECTIVELY OPERABLE BY SAID LEVER WITH SAID BOLTS RETRACTED FOR PIVOTING TO A POSITION OF LATCHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ACTUATING CAM TO PREVENT PIVOTING OF SAID CAM AND LINK AND RETAINING SAID BOLTS IN THE RETRACTED POSITION; SAID LINK, CAM AND LEVER HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED PIVOTAL AXES. 